1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates safety device, more particularly to a belt and a shoulder strap combination providing unusual abilities to provide an indication of the location of the wearer during night-time and twilight hours. For a jogger it increases the ability to indicate a presence which might not otherwise be clearly and easily apparent. The invention also provides accessories on the safety device to enable the securement of water bottles and other devices such as walkman radios and tape recorders for use of the person engaging in vigorous activity. It also allows these items to be carried comfortably, easily assessable, and without interfering with the warning capabilities of the safety belt. The belt of the present invention furthermore provides height and a waist adjustments with easy adjustment by loop belt fasteners with hook and loop securing devices to prevent the tabs from flopping about or otherwise preventing the adjustment from becoming loose. The device of the present invention is designed primarily for active sports joggers. It is also suitable for pedestrians, cyclists, crossing guard, traffic policemen, mail person, roller bladers, skate boarders, delivery person, for walking the dog or children playing in or around roadways.
2. Prior Art
Reflective warning devices have been used for some time. U.S. Pat. No. 3,089,143--JACOBSON discloses a traffic safety belt with criss-cross shoulder straps each of which is adjustable, together with an adjustable waistband portion so that one adjustment does not interfere with the other.
U.S. Pat. No 3,221,958--STRAIGHT discloses a safety belt designed for hunters and features shoulder straps that are adjustable without interfering with the adjustment of the belt which is accomplished by providing separate attaching loops and adjusting loops at the base of each shoulder strap. The shoulder straps may be pivoted about a grommet in order that a gun sling secured to the base of one shoulder strap may be easily switched from one shoulder to the other to accommodate both left and right-handed people. The structure comprises a woven mesh underlying belt which is provided with a fused reflective film on the top of it. The belt is solid and no ventilation is provided and it is a uni-color reflection. In this case the underlying web backing is preferably white to enhance the visibility of the transparent, brightly-colored reflective material which is fused over it.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,416--THORSHEIM also discloses a reflective safety band in the upper rows of the simple structure and features, but includes construction to provide a means of storing the device within banded loops as well as a means to adjust the length of the strap by overlapping it on itself within the securing means.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,762--MASKOVICH discloses an elastic strap for a jogger's compact portable device for carrying a portable radio that can be manipulated without interfering with the jogger's activity and secured against both vertical and horizontal movement from the jogger's activity. The device includes a stretchable strap having slots at each end which are less than the width of the device to be carried and results in the portable device or radio being frictionally compressed between the wearer's belt and the strap attachment. The portable device usually has a hook to fit over the belt to supply additional security. The strap ideally is made of neoprene.
One of the inherent disadvantages of prior art safety belts or warning belts and/or straps has been that for utilization that by people in jogging or engaging in other athletic activities which require a great deal of exertion is that the devices have been generally made of a plastic sheet or strip which is worn in close proximity to the wearer's torso and increased the heat of the body preventing the escape of heat and/or perspiration from the areas in which the warning strap was in contact with the body of the wearer.
In addition, those devices which provided carrying means for certain ancillary items such as radio, water, and the like were awkward to use, involved heavy enclosure-means and were difficult to reach while the wearer was engaged in the athletic activity. Adjustment means were also difficult to operate and in those cases where they were easy, the fastening means tended to become undone easily. Often the most overlooked item was provision for the exerciser to carry either house and/or vehicle keys since often the clothes worn in the activity engaged in did not provide pockets or other means for carrying small items securely and conveniently assessable.
These disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the device of the present invention which provides an effective warning indication of the presence of the wearer, is easily adjustable, comfortable, dissipates body heat, and allows the carrying of refreshing fluids easily assessable as well as other items such as radio or portable telephone, and a handy, secure means for personal key devices.